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[Xen-users] Anyone else have constant swap usage in gentoo?

To: xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Xen-users] Anyone else have constant swap usage in gentoo?
From: Jack Downes <jack@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 05 Jan 2006 11:47:47 -0700
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This could be because of the way I build servers, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

I have a server - intel pen4 3.0 HT, 2G ram, Raid 5 array software array.

I'm using xen 2.0.6, although the problem has happend with 2.0.0 as well.

I tend to prefer gentoo for server, but use debian as well. My debian based servers seem immune to this running out of memory issue.

Okay, so here's the problem:
No matter how heavily loaded a gentoo server is under xen it will eventually run out of ram and then out of swap resulting in a crash - you have to watch them. The most heavily loaded server (not really that bad anyway - 47G/month) requires reboots at least once a month. I'm not complaining mind you, it's just that it seems odd behavior for linux to not release the memory and use it till it crashes.

This does not happen on my native gentoo boxes - the ones built without xen, nor does it happen to the domain0 running gentoo - only to the domainX's

It doesn't happen to domainX's running debian or (1 case only) redhat.

So.. I don't know what's the common cause - I don't use nptl when I build the apps, although normal linux threaded is default I believe.

Perhaps this issue is resolved in xen 3.0, but alas, I don't currently have a server to try it out on.

Anyway, thought I'd ask and see...
Jack

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